Man still waiting for answers four months after getting wrong energy bill for Wellingborough house

Stephanie Weaver

A man who has spent months trying to rectify a bill which was for another property is still awaiting answers.

Steve Rogers first contacted British Gas about his son’s property in Jupiter Way, Wellingborough, last October after receiving a gas and electricity bill for another property on the new estate.

Since then, he has been in regular contact with the gas giant as well as Barratt Homes to sort it.

There have been countless phone calls and emails but, four months on, Mr Rogers says the problem has still not been fixed.

He said: “We appear to have reached an impasse as British Gas offered to pay me an extra £200 as a final settlement.

“If I was unhappy with this, I then had the option of referring the matter to the ombudsman.

“I regard this as a cop-out by British Gas as it means that the complaint will not be addressed for, at least, another several weeks and I will have to spend more time dealing with it.”

British Gas told the Northants Telegraph the issue first came to light when Mr Rogers queried the bill in October.

They found Mr Rogers’ meter, and that of his neighbour, had been incorrectly registered by the developer on the national energy database when the house was built. This is known as cross-metering.

Despite saying they had got up-to-date meter readings from the house, were re-billing him for the correct amount and would ensure the national database was updated as quickly as possible, Mr Rogers says it is still not fixed.

While he appreciates British Gas offering to pay back all the money he has paid it, including the amount he was overcharged and £200 as a goodwill gesture, he is not happy that if he accepts this it would be seen as a full and final settlement of the complaint.

Mr Rogers said: “I didn’t accept it because the electricity meter has still not been sorted out, and the occupiers have been left with this problem.

“British Gas has given me no indication how the crossing of the meters occurred, or how they intend to address it.”

Mr Rogers believes several houses have been affected and added: “I have been more than tolerant with British Gas, and played by their rules, but my patience has been taken to the limit and I now, as a reasonable person, expect action, and some form of recompense for the time I have had to spend dealing with this complaint which is now quite considerable.”

Leigh Franks from British Gas said: “I’m sorry it took so long to put Mr Rogers’ account right.

“His meter was incorrectly registered when the property was built last year.

“We have contacted Mr Rogers to explain and to offer him a goodwill gesture.”

A spokesman for Barratt Homes Northampton said: “The issue regarding Mr Rogers’ gas meter has now been rectified and he can apply for a refund for any erroneous charges to his account if he has overpaid.”

Despite these offers, Mr Rogers has asked British Gas to take further action, including an explanation of how the meters became crossed and a request that British Gas helps the occupier at the property because they have been wrongly billed by the new supplier due to the cross-metering.

Mr Rogers also thinks they should pay him at least £350 as a goodwill gesture.